The quality of the bench this season has been awful We've neither the quality to get us goals to get back into a game Nor the ability to bring on adequate defenders to protect our position in the games Yet no new signings and under 24 hours before the transfer window closes?? WTF!!
When everyone is fit the bench is reasonable. Chesney - Mannone - Decent. Sagna - Jenkinson - Decent. Gibbs - Santos - Worrying. Merts / Vermaelen / Kos - Good, but behind that are Squillaci (poor) and Miguel (untested). Arteta - Coquelin (Reasonable), Ramsey (Decent). Wilshere / Cazorla - Diaby (Off form currently), Rosicky (Decent). Theo - Oxo (Reasonable, developing). Pod - Gervinho (Worrying). Giroud - No-one! The places that concern me most are CF, LB & DM. There was a lack of goal scorers on the bench last night as there were no strikers to come on and add pressure or help nick a late goal.
True, one CB injury and suddenly there is no backup behind them. If Vermaelen or Merts got injured next game, the remaining 2 would have to play every game for the rest of the season. It's a shame Arsenal didn't keep Bartley. He wanted first team football, for which you can't blame him, but he is a decent 4th choice. Letting Djourou leave on loan without bringing someone in was a mystifying decision. Unless it's a month-by-month loan from which he can be recalled - which would give him game time without the risk. I think we'll all be very very shocked if Jenkinson goes on loan.
Even i'll start thinking Wenger has lost the plot if he lets Jenkinson go out on loan I honestly thought that by letting Djourou go out on loan it meant we had a replacement lined up
Back to my original post we need people of can influence or change the game when they come on. 1. If we were a goal up against Man Utd at home and needed to see the game out which of those player could help protect the lead? 2. When it was 2-2 yesterday and the momentum was with us who was on the bench to push for the wining goal Look at what 3rd place Chelsea and 4th placed Spurs have as a comparison
A goal up you'd want Ramsey, Kos, or Coquelin to come on. Kos could have come on, he & Ramsey would be my preference, but Arsenal weren't leading. A goal down is more difficult with no strikers on the bench. I always have time for Rosicky - he can make those runs, he's creative, and he can track back and defend. He's a very intelligent player. Other than him, there's not much else!! Diaby is hit and miss.
First of all yesterday we had Rosicky, Diaby, and Oxo, but the momentum was with the guys on the pitch. Why change that? And for your 1st question Diaby, Kos.
